New Zealand's Conservation Story
Conservation Department head Lou Sanson took us on a journey from New Zealand’s ancient antiquity, colonisation and then restoring our environment to its natural form.
Lou explained that New Zealand’s origins were as part of Zealandia, the 8th continent of the world. This created a country of birds but without real animals. This unique environment led to the creation of a range of ancient and unusual species; snails; tuatara, Kiwis (from the Antarctic), and living without predators.
The lack of predators lead to unusual features such as birds that could not fly, making them vulnerable to New Zealand’s colonisation phase. The Victorian era saw species such as rats, rabbits, and possums introduced, as colonisers sought to stamp their mark on the New Zealand environment. One such project was Richard Seddon’s plan to turn New Zealand into a giant game park, leading to Thar, deer and other hunted species.
Lou spoke about the work of the Department in bringing things “back from the brink”, while harnessing the New Zealand love of the natural environment (“nature is central to our identity”).
Lou showcased a range of conservation projects involving the Department in partnership with community groups and private philanthropists, including in Northland, the Hawkes Bay. Such projects also include predator-free islands and inland zones including Bream Head to the Bay of Islands, and Great Mercury, Antipodes and Kapiti Islands.
Looking forward, Lou envisaged continued strong community support for conservation measures but looked forward to the benefits of overseas visitor levy funding to contribute resources to managing our environment.
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